Writing instrument



April 9, 1963 A. DOTTLINGER WRITING INSTRUMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1959 FIG 5 United States Patent 3,084,671 WRITING INSTRUMENT Alfred Dottlinger, Kirchdorf (Krems), Austria, assignor of one-half to Jacob Rittcr, K.G., Brenshach, Oden- Wald, Germany Filed Oct. 22, 1959, Ser. No. 848,081 Claims priority, application Austria Dec. 23, 1955 3 Claims. (Cl. 12042.03)

This is a continuati0n-in-part of my patent application Serial No. 629,158 filed in the United States Patent Oflice December 18, 1956, now abandoned.

The invention relates to writing instruments and more particularly to ball-point pens having retractable writing means.

A ball-point pen having a retractable writing means comprises a body, tapered and opened at one end, a spring-loaded link reservoir having a ball-point at one end and slidably mounted in the body, and a locking means for locking the ink reservoir in an operative writing position in which the ball-point end extends through the tapered end of the body, and, for locking the ink reservoir in an inoperative carrying position in which the ball-point end is retracted into the body. The ink reservoir having a ball-point at one end is hereinafter called the writing means.

Locking means for the above-described type of writing instrument have been generally described in my copending patent application Serial No. 848,080 filed October 22, 1959 which is a continuation-in-part application of Serial No. 532,925 filed September 7, 1955, now abandoned. The present invention is an improvement on the invention described in my copending application.

It is an object of the invention to provide a locking means employing a ball as a locking member for locking the writing means of a writing instrument in a writing position or in a retracted position and in which the locking means operates efficiently and practically invariably while the writing instrument is held in any position.

In carrying out the invention, a locking means empo-lying a ball as a locking member is provided for locking the writing means in a writing position and in its retracted position. The ball is engaged between two suitably arranged grooves that guide the ball in its movements to and from the respective ball locking positions that correspond to the two positions of the writing means. A movable plunger carries one of the grooves and a relatively stationary body or clip sleeve in the body carries the other groove. One of the grooves extends circumferentially and longitudinally and the other extends circumferentially, and each groove simultaneously engages separate halves of the locking ball. The longitudinally extending groove has sides defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced sharp points and intervening recesses, the points of one side opposite the recesses of the other. The ball guiding sides of the grooves cause the ball to roll in the same direction to alternate rest and locking positions and are arranged to narrow the longitudinal grooves before and after the locking positions. The narrowed portions of the longitudinal groove are also at difierent levels which cooperate with the circumferential groove for the passage of the ball in the same direction that the ball guiding surfaces of the projections cause the ball to move in, while masking the longitudinal groove in the opposite direction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and the appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view illustrating a writing instrument having a plunger actuated locking means for locking writing means in writing and retracted positions.

FIG. 2 shows a fragment of the plunger of the locking means illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a two-part clip sleeve in halfway telescoped condition.

FIG. 4 represents the developed ball-guide path of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 is a partly sectional view of a modified embodiment, similar to that of FIG. 1 but actuated by momentum and having a closed top clip sleeve.

FIG. 6 is a partly sectional view of another modification :of the writing instrument having the ball engaging positions arranged in the guide groove of the plunger.

FIG. 7 shows the developed guide path of the embodiment of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of a two-part clip sleeve, similar to that of FIG. 3, but having corresponding projections and recesses for interconnecting the two parts; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-section taken along line 9 of FIG. 8, the lower clip sleeve portion added in side elevation, being shown in FIG. 9a.

In FIGS. 1, 2 land 4 a writing means 10, acted upon by a spring 11, is slidably mounted on the longitudinal axis of the body 12 of the writing instrument. The upper end of the writing means fits into a recess in the lower end of a sleeve 13 and against the end of the plunger 14. The plunger 14 is guided in sleeve 13 which is inserted in the top portion of the body 12. A rolling element in the form of a ball 16 is half engaged in a circumferential groove 17 in the plunger 14 and half engaged in a longitudinally extending groove 18 in the inner wall of sleeve 13. Groove 18 has two ball-receiving recesses 19 and 21 spaced longitudinally apart the predetermined distance between the writing and retracted positions of the writing means.

FIG. 4 illustrates the development of the annular groove 18 on a plane surface. The opposing ball guiding sides and camrning surfaces of the groove 18 define a plurality of sharp points, and intervening recesses; one side of groove 18 defining sharp points 23 and 24 with intervening recesses 19 and 21, and the other side of groove 18 defining sharp points 28 and 29 with intervening recesses 34 and 36. The sharp points are circumferentially spaced approximately degrees apart successively on alternate sides of the groove 18. The ball camming surfaces 27 and 22 of one side of the groove 18 leading into recesses 19 and 21 respectively, and ball cammiing surfaces 31 and 33 of the other side of groove 18 leading into recesses 34 and 36 respectively, curve smoothly into their respective following recesses for camming the ball 16 in the same direction toward said next following recess. The ball guiding sides, such as sides 26 and 32 leading out of the recesses, are straight surfaces directed toward the opposite smoothly curving ball camrning surfaces 31 and 27 respectively. The ball thus is guided in groove 18 from one recess along a straight guiding side to the opposing camming surface that smoothly curves into the next succeeding recess. The recesses 34 and 36 between the sharp points 28 and 29 are provided as intermediate positions to which the ball 16 can be propelled by manual manipulation of the plunger 14 from recesses 19 and 21 respectively and from which intermediate positions the spring loaded plunger can then bias the ball 16 into recesses 21 and 19 respectively. In order to prevent the ball from rolling back into groove sections already passed, and for securely guiding the ball to the next succeeding recess, the groove 18 is narrowed by each sharp point on a side just preceding each following recess on an opposite side. The narrow parts 25, 37, 38 and 39 are at successively different levels with respect to each other in order that each sharp point preceding a narrow part masks the preceding section of groove 18, thus preventing the ball from rolling backward. The width of the groove 18 is at least slightly greater than the diameter of the ball 16. However the narrow pants of the groove 18 can be made slightly less than the ball diameter provided the ends of the sharp points are made flexible to permit their slight displacement and the ball 16 can be forced past the sharp points by plunger action only. As the camming action of the ball guiding or camming surfaces is always toward the next succeeding recess, the ball cannot be forced backward by the plunger, nor can it roll back past a narrow part.

When applying pressure to the plunger 14, the ball 16 will be rolled either from recess 19 to recess 34 or from recess 21 to recess 36 and when the pressure is released the spring biased plunger will then roll the ball from recess 34 to recess 21 or from recess 36 to recess 19 to the other locking position. A full circle is described in the annular transverse groove 17 during a complete operating cycle of extending and retracting the Writing means. There is little friction exerted either on the ball or on the groove walls so that the mechanism can be built of plastic.

It is possible to facilitate the manufacture of sleeves having grooves cut in their interior surfaces. Referring to FIG. 3 a sleeve 44 has sleeve liners 47 and 41 for the oppositely disposed ends of the sleeve 44. The liners have a common wall thickness equivalent to the desired depth of the groove 18. The liner 47 for an end is shown in place in the sleeve 44. The liner 41 for the other end is shown partially inserted in the sleeve 44. The opposing ends 43 and 40 of the liners 41 and 47, before insertion into sleeve 44, are respectively cut to the shape of the respective opposite sides of the groove 18. The liners are then inserted in sleeve 44 with the opposing ends spaced apart the width of groove 18. The ends are then rotatively aligned with respect to each other to conform to the alignment of the sides of the groove 18 and securely fastened in the sleeve 44.

The collar 42 on an end of sleeve 41, as shown in FIG. 3, is keyed to the bottom rim of the sleeve 44 by key 45 in the collar 42 and recess 46 on the sleeve 44. This arrangement makes for the accurate positioning of these two parts, so that the opposite projections will be properly oriented and the groove 18 have the proper width.

Referring to FIG. 5, the plunger of FIG. 1 is shortened to the illustrated plunger 58 and the sleeve 51 and body 52 are closed at the top. Otherwise the construction and arrangement of the parts are the same as in FIG. 1. The plunger 50 is actuated by momentum imparted by giving the pen a thrusting motion of the hand in the direction of the tip of the pen.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the guide groove 60 for the ball 61 is formed in the plunger 62 and the circumferential groove 63 is provided in the sleeve 64. The sleeve can be also assembled in two parts, as explained in FIG. 3. The circumferential groove 63 is produced by recessing the interior surface of sleeve 64 and inserting therein the sleeve 65 which has a collar 66 for purposes heretofore described. The development of the guide groove 60 shown in FIG. 7 differs from that of FIG. 3 in that it is inverted. The writing and retracted positions correspond to recesses and are marked 67 and 68.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9' which illustrate an alternate sleeve from that of FIGS. 1 and 3 in that the sleeve 81 has threads 80 for holding the clip sleeve in the body 82 of the pen is applied to the bottom portion 83 of the sleeve in an extended collar 84. The advantage of this modification lies in the fact that the wall of the upper clip sleeve portion, holding the curved groove paths, is not unduly weakened. If the bottom portion 83 pushed into the plastic upper sleeve 82 should not be cemented (weldcd or injected) to it, it can be made with wedge-shaped noses 85 which click into the corresponding recesses 86 of the plastic sleeve. Owing to the resiliency of the material, the noses will snap into the recesses when the two parts, properly aligned, are telescoped. It is understood that the two elements may be reversed, with the noses provided in sleeve 82, and appropriate recesses in bottom portion 83.

The operation of the described ball-type locking mechanism is as follows:

In the embodiment of the invention in which the writing means is extended and retracted by means of finger pressure on a plunger and as illustrated in FIG. 1, the locking mechanism is operated by depressing the plunger 14 against the action or" the spring 11 as far as the plunger will go. The plunger carrying the ball 16 in its circumfercntial groove causes the ball to follow the developed path of the longitudinal groove 18 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Assuming that the cycle of operation to begin with the ball in its position corresponding to the retracted position of the writing means, that is to say, in recess 19 the ball 16 is guided by side 26 past the narrow part 25 by which it reached recess 19, the pathway 25 being masked by sharp point 28. The ball is carried to the narrow part of the passageway 30 and is cammed by camming surface 31 past the projection 23 to recess 34. The plunger being depressed to its fullest extent is now released and is raised by action of spring 11 to carry the ball into contact with camming surface 22. In reaching this position the narrow part 30 by which the ball reached position 19 is almost immediately masked by the projection 23. As the ball is carried upward by the action of the spring 11 from recess 34 past projection 29 and into contact with camming surface 22 which cams it to the recess 21, this recess 21 corresponding to the writing position of the writing means. The ball has now been carried around the circumferential groove 17 about 270 and is held in its recess 21 by the pressure of the pen in use and of the spring 11 against the plunger. To return the ball to recess 19 corresponding to the retracted position of the writing means the plunger is depressed against the pressure of spring 11 as far as the plunger 14 will go and the ball is carried into contact with camming surface 33 and camrned through narrow part 39 past projection 24 to recess 36. Sharp point 29 masks the back passage and prevents the ball from returning to recess 34. Upon release of the plunger, the spring 11 will cause the plunger to carry the ball guided along guiding side 32 past the projection 24, which masks the return passageway to recess 21, to contact with the camming surface 27 which cams the ball toward recess 19 which corresponds to the retracted position of the writing means, thus completing the cycle of operation when the ball reaches recess 19.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 5, the writing means is actuated by a momentum applied to the pen in the direction of the tip by a thrusting motion followed by an arrest. the locking mechanism operates precisely as in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, but is actuated by momentum instead of finger pressure. The structural differences in the embodiment are that the top of the sleeve 52 is closed and that the plunger 50 as shown in FIG. 5 is shortened and does not extend through the top of the clip sleeve 52. The spring (not shown) that corresponds to spring 11 shown in FIG. 1 is made somewhat weaker than the spring 11 in order to facilitate actuation of the plunger by reducing the force opposed to the momentum that actuates it.

In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 6 the writing means (not shown) and the locking mechanism are actuated by finger pressure on a plunger. It differs in operation from the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 in that the opposite sides of the longitudinal groove are interchanged as illustrated in FIG. 7.

Pressure is applied to plunger 62 which moves the ball 61 out of the recess 67 and, by means of cooperating with the circumferential annular groove 63, to recess 69; as soon as the pressure on plunger 62 is released the spring loaded plunger 62 carries the ball into the recess 68.

After renewed pressure on the plunger 62 the ball, still guided by annular circumferential groove 63 and 1ongitudinal groove 60, is conveyed into recess 70 and from there upon release of the pressure on the plunger, back in to the recess 67.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by Way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a Writing instrument having a tubular body with a writing end and an opposite end, writing means mounted in said body and longitudinally slidable between Writing position and retracted position and spring means in the body urging the wring means toward retracted position, means for releasably locking the Writing means in writing position comprising in combination a sphere, a sleeve fixed in the body, a manually operable plunger slidable longitudinally in said sleeve and engaging said writing means to move the writing means longitudinally to writing position against the action of said spring, said plunger and sleeve having slidably engaging coaxial surfaces with. oppositely facing annular grooves formed therein and extending circumferentially around said surfaces, one of said grooves being transverse to the longitudinal axis of said surfaces and the other of said grooves including portions also extending longitudinally and crossing said one groove to form at the point of crossing a space to receive and confine said ball, each of said grooves having a depth less than the diameter of said ball so that said ball is at all times confined partly in one groove and partly in the other, said other groove having opposed ball guiding sides comprising a first side against which said ball is pressed by the action of said spring means and a second side opposite said first side, each of said sides defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced sharp points and intervening recesses, with the points of one side offset circumferentially so as to be between the points of the opposite side and successive recesses of said first side spaced longitudinally relative to one another and receiving said ball to define respectively the writing position and the retracted position of said writing means, and said second side of said other groove including inclined cam surfaces, each surface extending for a distance to span a recess and an adjacent point of said first side to earn said ball circumferentially when said plunger is moved in a direction against said spring means to move said ball beyond said succeeding projection so that when the plunger is released said ball will seat in the next succeeding recess on said first side, whereby said ball is positively moved from one recess to the next by successive longitudinal movements of said plunger and said plunger and associated writing means are thereby successively held in Writing position and retracted position respectively.

2. A locking means as described in claim 1 characterized in that said sleeve comprises: an outer tubular member having oppositely disposed ends; tubular liners having opposing ends for fastening in each of said oppositely disposed ends, said liners having walls of a thickness equal to the depth of one of said grooves, and said liners having their opposing ends respectively shaped to define the respective opposed ball-guiding sides of said groove; means for spacing apart said opposing ends of the liners in the outer tubular element the width of said groove, and rotatively positioning said liners with respect to each other for their respective opposing ends to align with respect to each other the respective guiding sides of said groove.

3. A locking means as described in claim 1 characterized in that said sharp points have flexible ends that narrow said groove to slightly less than the diameter of said ball, said sharp points being deformable to pass said ball responsive to pressure of said plunger and only as directed by the camming action of said camming surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,773,478 Poinsot Dec. 11, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES 10,026 Great Britain of 1887 635,144 Great Britain Apr. 5, 1950 1,023,101 France Dec. 24, 1952 

1. IN A WRITING INSTRUMENT HAVING A TUBULAR BODY WITH A WRITING END AND AN OPPOSITE END, WRITING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID BODY AND LONGITUDINALLY SLIDABLE BETWEEN WRITING POSITION AND RETRACTED POSITION AND SPRING MEANS IN THE BODY URGING THE WRING MEANS TOWARD RETRACTED POSITION, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING THE WRITING MEANS IN WRITING POSITION COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A SPHERE, A SLEEVE FIXED IN THE BODY, A MANUALLY OPERABLE PLUNGER SLIDABLE LONGITUDINALLY IN SAID SLEEVE AND ENGAGING SAID WRITING MEANS TO MOVE THE WRITING MEANS LONGITUDINALLY TO WRITING POSITION AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID SPRING, SAID PLUNGER AND SLEEVE HAVING SLIDABLY ENGAGING COAXIAL SURFACES WITH OPPOSITIVELY FACING ANNULAR GROOVES FORMED THEREIN AND EXTENDING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY AROUND SAID SURFACES, ONE OF SAID GROOVES BEING TRANSVERSE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID SURFACES AND THE OTHER OF SAID GROOVES INCLUDING PORTIONS ALSO EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY AND CROSSING SAID ONE GROOVE TO FORM AT THE POINT OF CROSSING A SPACE TO RECEIVE AND CONFINE SAID BALL, EACH OF SAID GROOVES HAVING A DEPTH LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID BALL SO THAT SAID BALL IS AT ALL TIMES CONFINED PARTLY IN ONE GROOVE AND PARTLY IN THE OTHER, SAID OTHER GROOVE HAVING OPPOSED BALL GUIDING SIDES COMPRISING A FIRST SIDE AGAINST WHICH SAID BALL IS PRESSED BY THE ACTION OF SAID SPRING MEANS AND A SECOND SIDE OPPOSITE SAID FIRST SIDE, EACH OF SAID SIDES DEFINING A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED SHARP POINTS AND INTERVENING RECESSES, WITH THE POINTS OF ONE SIDE OFFSET CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SO AS TO BE BETWEEN THE POINTS OF THE OPPOSITE SIDE 